(1904-1968) US editor who began his career as manager of Doubleday Book Stores 1930-1934, and who intermittently held various editing positions, in and out of commercial publishing, for the rest of his life; he was, however, primarily a freelance. The first of his many sf Anthologies was The Best of Science Fiction (anth 1946; vt The Golden Age of Science Fiction 1980), a huge compendium which vied in size and potential influence with Raymond J Healy's and J Francis McComas's Adventures in Time and Space (1946), although the latter book was contracted earlier and had first pick of the material. Nevertheless, The Best of Science Fiction and its successors from the same publisher – Treasury of Science Fiction (anth 1948; much cut 1957), The Big Book of Science Fiction (anth 1950; much cut 1957) and Omnibus of Science Fiction (anth 1952; much cut vt Strange Travels in Science Fiction 1953; much cut vt Strange Adventures in Science Fiction 1954; much cut vt Science Fiction Omnibus 1952; cut 1986, with all cut versions differing in their excisions) – are rewarding compilations. In his later career, he increasingly produced anthologies on increasingly specific subject matter – they were in fact the first fully fledged theme anthologies to appear in the field – including Invasion in Invaders of Earth (anth 1952; much cut 1953; much cut 1955; much cut 1962; much cut 2vols vt Invaders of Earth 1962 UK and Enemies in Space 1962 UK, with all cut versions differing in their excisions); Time Travel and Parallel Worlds in Science Fiction Adventures in Dimension (anth 1953; cut 1955; cut 1965); Robots, Androids and Computers in Science Fiction Thinking Machines (anth 1954; cut vt Selections from Science Fiction Thinking Machines 1955) and Mutants in Science Fiction Adventures in Mutation (anth 1955; cut 1965). Conklin eventually became consultant sf editor to Collier Books, for whom he produced the notable anthologies Great Science Fiction by Scientists (anth 1962) and Fifty Short Science Fiction Tales (anth 1963), the latter with Isaac Asimov.
Conklin wrote a book-review column for Galaxy Science Fiction from #1 (October 1950) until October 1955. He also edited for Grosset and Dunlap a series of $1 hardcover sf novels, starting in 1950 with works by A E van Vogt, Jack Williamson and others. The series included the first book publication of Fury (May-July 1947 Astounding as by Lawrence O'Donnell; 1950; vt Destination Infinity 1956) as by Henry Kuttner alone (though in fact a collaboration with C L Moore); the intelligent introduction by Conklin has been reprinted in subsequent editions. Conklin's anthologies were never definitive but were always considered and capable; as an enabler, through these anthologies and as a series editor, Conklin was of considerable importance in legitimizing American Genre SF for the book markets it only began to penetrate after World War Two. For more recent readers, his 41 anthologies now seem to be the best and most sustained presentation imaginable of the virtues of the Golden Age of SF. [MJE/JC]
see also: Aliens; Cybernetics; Publishing.
Edward Groff Conklin
born Glen Ridge, New Jersey: 6 September 1904
died Pawling, New York: 19 July 1968
works
- The Best of Science Fiction (New York: Crown Publishers, 1946) [anth: hb/Robert Josephy]
- Treasury of Science Fiction (New York: Crown Publishers, 1948) [anth: hb/]
- The Big Book of Science Fiction (New York: Crown Publishers, 1950) [anth: hb/]
- Science Fiction Galaxy (New York: Permabooks, 1950) [anth: hb/Richard Powers]
- In the Grip of Terror (New York: Permabooks, 1951) [anth: pb/]
- Possible Worlds of Science Fiction (New York: Vanguard, 1951) [anth: hb/]
- Invaders of Earth (New York: Vanguard, 1952) [anth: hb/Morton Roberts]
- Invaders of Earth (London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1953) [anth: cut version of the above: hb/]
- Invaders of Earth (New York: Pocket Books, 1955) [anth: cut version of the above: hb/]
- Invaders of Earth (New York: Tempo Books, 1962) [anth: cut version of the above: hb/]
- Invaders of Earth (London: Digit Books, 1962) [anth: cut version of the above: companion to Enemies in Space below: hb/]
- Enemies in Space (London: Digit Books, 1962) [anth: cut vt of the above: companion to Invaders of Earth above: hb/]
- Omnibus of Science Fiction (New York: Crown Publishers, 1952) [anth: hb/]
- Crossroads in Time (New York: Permabooks, 1953) [anth: pb/Richard Powers]
- Science Fiction Adventures in Dimension (New York: Vanguard, 1953) [anth: hb/]
- The Supernatural Reader (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: J B Lippincott, 1953) with Lucy Conklin [anth: hb/Robert Hallock]
- 6 Great Short Novels of Science Fiction (New York: Dell Books, 1954) [anth: not to be confused with Six Great Short Science Fiction Novels from 1960 (see below): pb/Richard Powers]
- Science Fiction Thinking Machines (New York: Vanguard, 1954) [anth: hb/]
- Operation Future (New York: Permabooks, 1955) [anth: pb/Robert Schultz]
- Science Fiction Adventures in Mutation (New York: Vanguard, 1955) [anth: hb/]
- Science Fiction Terror Tales (New York: Gnome Press, 1955) [anth: hb/Ed Emshwiller]
- Science Fiction Omnibus (New York: Berkley Books, 1956) [anth: pb/Richard Powers]
- The Graveyard Reader (New York: Ballantine Books, 1958) [anth: pb/Richard Powers]
- Br-r-r! (New York: Avon Books, 1959) [anth: pb/Richard Powers]
- Four for the Future (New York: Pyramid Books, 1959) [anth: pb/Richard Powers]
- 13 Great Stories of Science Fiction (New York: Gold Medal, 1960) [anth: pb/Richard Powers]
- Six Great Short Novels of Science Fiction (New York: Dell Books, 1960) [anth: not to be confused with 6 Great Short Science Fiction Novels from 1954 (see above): pb/]
- Great Science Fiction by Scientists (New York: Collier Books, 1962) [anth: pb/]
- Twisted (New York: Belmont Books, 1962) [anth: pb/]
- Worlds of When (New York: Pyramid books, 1962) [anth: pb/John Schoenherr]
- 12 Great Classics of Science Fiction (New York: Gold Medal, 1963) [anth: pb/]
- 17 x Infinity (New York: Dell Books, 1963) [anth: pb/]
- 50 Short Science Fiction Tales (New York: Collier Books, 1963) with Isaac Asimov [anth: pb/]
- Great Science Fiction About Doctors (New York: Collier Books, 1963) with Noah D Fabricant [anth: pb/]
- Great Stories of Space Travel (New York: Tempo Books, 1963) [anth: pb/]
- Human and Other Beings (New York: Collier Books, 1963) with Allen de Graeff [anth: pb/]
- Dimension 4 (New York: Pyramid Books, 1964) [anth: pb/Jack Gaughan]
- Five-Odd (New York: Pyramid Books, 1964) [anth: pb/]
- Great Detective Stories About Doctors (New York: Collier Books, 1964) with Noah D Fabricant [anth: pb/]
- 13 Above the Night (New York: Dell Books, 1965) [anth: pb/]
- 5 Unearthly Visions (New York: Gold Medal Books, 1965) [anth: pb/Richard Powers]
- Giants Unleashed (New York: Grosset and Dunlap, 1965) [anth: hb/L S G]
- Minds Unleashed (New York: Tempo Books, 1970) [anth: vt of the above: pb/L S G]
- Another Part of the Galaxy (New York: Gold Medal Books, 1966) [anth: pb/]
- Science Fiction Oddities (New York: Berkley Books, 1966) [anth: pb/Don Ivan Punchatz]
- Seven Come Infinity (New York: Gold Medal Books, 1966) [anth: pb/Richard Powers]
- Elsewhere and Elsewhen (New York: Berkley Books, 1968) [anth: pb/]
- Science Fiction Elsewhen (London: Rapp and Whiting, 1970) [anth: vt of the above title cut into two volumes (see immediately below): hb/]
- Science Fiction Elsewhere (London: Rapp and Whiting, 1970) [anth: vt of the above title cut into two volumes (see immediately above): hb/]
- Seven Trips through Time and Space (New York: Gold Medal Books, 1968) [anth: pb/]
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